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Remarks at the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council 10th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon
Secretary of State
Now, there are many people here who should be and deserve to be recognized because of your contributions here and in Afghanistan. But I will take the moment to acknowledge a few people in particular, starting first and foremost with Laura Bush. Laura Bush did so much to elevate and strengthen this council. Both in ways public and private, she became a passionate advocate for the rights and roles of women in Afghanistan, and she remains one of the strongest advocates today.
We were just talking at the table about some of the perks of being a first lady. (Laughter.) And one of them I learned from Elaine Chao, the former Secretary of Labor here, is that cabinet secretaries do take first ladies' calls. (Laughter.) And when those calls are about supporting and finding money for and encouraging the women of Afghanistan, very often they were made by Mrs. Bush.
I want to thank the council's U.S. co-chairs Melanne Verveer, our nation's first and outstanding Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues; Jack DeGioia, President of Georgetown University, which has provided a home for the council since 2008 under the direction of Dr. Phyllis Magrab, the Director of the Center for Child and Human Development, who is also here. I wish to thank and acknowledge my counterpart and colleague, Afghan Foreign Minister Rassoul, and also the Afghan ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Hakimi. Thank you all for joining us.
I also wish to recognize Vartan Gregorian, the president of the Carnegie Corporation, whom you will hear from in a few minutes. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the council's work, and I'm very grateful for his personal support of what the council is doing and so many of the initiatives on behalf of our country and our foreign policy.
And finally, I would like to recognize two other groups. Members of Congress who were here early, and I think are still here, let me ask them to stand so they can be recognized. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee, Niki Tsongas, Carolyn Maloney, Donna Edwards, and Susan Davis. (Applause.)
And finally, I want to recognize the 10 Fulbright scholars from Afghanistan. Let me ask the 10 scholars to please stand. (Applause.)
Thanks to all who have joined us from the across the Obama and Bush Administrations, from Congress, the private sector, not-for-profit organizations, and academia: I think the diversity of backgrounds and experiences represented in this room reflects how committed the people of the United States are to the well-being and continued progress of the women of Afghanistan.
We come to this 10th anniversary from different perspectives and experiences as political leaders or business people, security or development experts, Republicans and Democrats, certainly men and women, but across our differences we wholeheartedly agree that the women of Afghanistan, like the women anywhere, are critical to their nation's future. They deserve to have their human rights protected regardless of place, religion, culture, or any other circumstance, and they need and deserve our support.
We are meeting at a significant time of year. As you heard from Melanne, yesterday was the Persian New Year and the first day of spring. There is an Afghan proverb: A good year is determined by its spring. I think that is a worthy proverb to keep in mind, and indeed it is a call to action for us to be sure that the spring sets the pace for the kind of good year we hope to see in Afghanistan.
Now, I'm well aware that these past weeks have been especially challenging, so it is all the more important that we come together as partners, friends, and colleagues to celebrate the good things we have accomplished together and to rededicate ourselves to doing more in the months and years ahead.
For just a moment, think about the remarkable gains of this past decade. In 2001, life expectancy for women in Afghanistan was just 44 years of age. Now it is 62 years. Back then, almost no girls went to school. Today, 3 million do. They comprise nearly 40 percent of all primary school enrollments. Nearly 120,000 Afghan girls have graduated from high school, 15,000 are enrolled in universities, and nearly 500 women are on university faculties. Maternal mortality, infant mortality, under-five mortality rates have all declined significantly. More Afghan children are living past their fifth birthday today than at any time in their recent past.
Now, these statistics represent hundreds of thousands of individual success stories and reflect the work of courageous and determined women across the country. Afghan women helped achieve a constitution that enshrines women's rights. They hold office at the national, provincial, and local levels. They serve on the High Peace Council and in provincial peace councils. They are opening and running businesses of all kinds. They are helping to build an effective and vibrant civil society.
In ways that often go unnoticed and certainly uncelebrated, the women of Afghanistan are hard at work each and every day solving Afghanistan's problems and serving her people. Now, for many Afghan women, the help they have received from this council has made all the difference. Literacy education, support for women entrepreneurs, basic health services, job training for women judges and diplomats – you could go on and on. This council and the projects it has given risen – it has given rise to have provided concrete and effective support. They've translated our feelings and our rhetoric into action.
So this progress is worth cheering, but it's also worth protecting. Now that we have entered into this period of transition, it's absolutely critical we protect these gains and expand on them. Not that is not my view or the view of Laura Bush or any of the Americans who are here; that is a view expressed loudly and clearly by Afghan citizens, men and women alike. It is also the view of Afghan leaders, and it is certainly the view of the international community. The women of Afghanistan are a valuable and irreplaceable resource, and their rights must be protected, and their opportunities for them to contribute must be preserved.
Now, of course, that is easy to say and it is much harder to do. I know that many women in Afghanistan and their supporters around the world are closely watching what we and the Afghan Government do to support a potential political reconciliation. Many are worried that in whatever future negotiations that might occur women, their rights, their roles, their concerns will be scarified, and the old days will return. Well, let me say again what I have said before in Kabul, in London, in Bonn, in Munich, in New York, and Washington: The United States cannot and will not let that happen.
Our goal is to get Afghans talking with other Afghans about the future. We've said from the start that a reconciliation dialogue must include women as well as ethnic minorities and civil society. One of our redlines is that insurgents who want to reconcile in the end must commit to abide by Afghanistan's constitution and the rights enshrined in it, most particularly women's rights.
There are always going to be those, not only in Afghanistan, who want to roll back progress for women and impose second-class citizenship on women, but the Afghan constitution is clear, and the Afghan Government has clearly affirmed it as the law of the land. So we will not waver on this point. Any peace that is attempted to be made by excluding more than half the population is no peace at all. It is a figment that will not last. (Applause.)
So let there be no doubt that even as the U.S. role in Afghanistan changes during the next few years of transition, we will continue to stand with and work closely with Afghan women. And we will be working closely with the international community as well, because we all need to be vigilant and disciplined in our support and in our refusal to accept the erosion of women's rights and freedoms.
As Mrs. Bush said in her historic radio address in 2001, the fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women. So we must use every available tool to support that commitment. And to that end, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sponsoring the creation of an International Center for Afghan Women's Economic Development to be located at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. (Applause.) And after lunch, you can see the blueprints of the center on display in the Thomas Jefferson Room next door.
Now, let me hasten to add that I am aware change of the kind that we are seeking does not come quickly or easily. In fact, it is the work of a generation or more. Yet even within a smaller time horizon, so much is possible. Just think, if you get discouraged by the headlines, of what this council has done in the past 10 years. Just think of all the women for whom your programs made the critical difference. Just think of all the families that are healthier, more prosperous, and secure because of you.
So for the Afghan people, it is the start of a new year and a new season for many, a time of renewal and recommitment. And I think this lunch, in our spring, represents our pledge to continue our work together for the next 10 years and beyond to support the women of Afghanistan as they do build those better futures for themselves and their families and for their nation.
I am so pleased to be able to introduce someone who is part of very small group. (Laughter.) And it's a group that has made a great contribution in so many ways during the course of our country's history. When we were entertaining at the White House this past week Prime Minister Cameron, President Obama jokingly referred to the War of 1812 being recognized for the 200th anniversary. And I reminded my British colleagues that it was Dolly Madison who saved the treasures of the White House on the way out the door. (Laughter.) Well, there are some stories which are well known and other stories which have yet to be told, and I hope some stories that never see the light of day. (Laughter.)
But one thing I know for sure, and that is that during a very difficult time in our nation's history Laura Bush served with great distinction and honor, and it wasn't only about what she did here at home. It was also about her recognition of the importance of reaching out beyond our borders, a lesson that is still as relevant today as ever. And thank you so much, Laura, for everything you did to make this council a reality. Please join me in welcoming Laura Bush. (Applause.)
MRS. BUSH: Thank you so much. Thank you, all. Thanks, everybody. Thank you, all. Thank you and thank you very much, Secretary Clinton. Thank you for your support for the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council. If we hadn't – if we didn't have you right at the very top supporting it, we wouldn't be celebrating this 10th anniversary, so thank you very, very much. I really appreciate it. (Applause.)
I want to also thank Ambassador Verveer. Thank you for everything you've done for this council and for so many other women around the world. And thank you for representing our country so well. I appreciate it a lot. Foreign Minister Rassoul, thank you for joining us today. We're very happy to see you. And Ambassador and Mrs. Hakimi, thanks so much. It's great to see you again. And former Ambassador Jawad and Shamim, who were also founding members of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, thank you for joining us. And the members of the United States Congress who have come today as well, thank you for continuing to work in your offices for our relationship with Afghanistan and with the women of Afghanistan. Thank you for all of that.
And then of course to all the members of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council who have joined us today. To Phyllis Magrab and Dr. DeGioia, who have given the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council a home, thank you all for that.
I'm very happy to be here at the State Department for the 10th anniversary of the U.S.–Afghan Women's Council. After the attacks of September 11th, the spotlight of the world turned on Afghanistan. And I had a really close friend, one of my college friends from Texas, who gave me a phone call and she said that the whole time we've been in Washington, she was just thinking thank heaven she wasn't in my shoes.
But then after that, she was jealous. (Laughter.) She said she was jealous for the first time because I could actually do something. And she wanted so badly to be able to help the people of Afghanistan and especially the women of Afghanistan. What she said was true, and as I learned more about what women in Afghanistan faced, I knew that those of us in the United States needed to reach out to them and to help.
In November 2001, George asked me to give the weekly presidential radio address – I think, actually, a woman advisor of his who's here suggested it, Karen Hughes – (laughter) – to describe the plight of Afghan women. Many Americans were learning for the very first time about the severe repression and brutality against women that was common in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Girls were forbidden from attending school, women couldn't leave their homes alone without a male escort, and so they were denied access to doctors when they were sick or the chance to work if they were widows and support their children. And Afghanistan had the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world.
The stark contrast between our lives and the lives of women in Afghanistan horrified many American women, and gave birth to strong friendships between American women and our Afghan sisters. Everywhere I went, women stopped me and said, "What can I do? Is there anything I can do?" One woman told me that she would lie in bed at night and try to figure out ways she could help the women of Afghanistan. American women wanted to help, and their response demonstrates the deep compassion of the American people and the desire to support Afghan women help establish – that helped all of us establish one of the most successful public-private partnerships in our country: the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council.
Since its founding in 2002 by Presidents Bush and Karzai, the Council has given Americans, American individual citizens and corporations, a way to partner with Afghan women to help them recover from decades of oppression. Council initiatives have touched nearly every part of Afghan civil society, from education and healthcare to business and government to agriculture.
I joined the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council for my first trip to Afghanistan in 2005, and several of the people who are in the room today were with me on that trip. In Kabul, I met with Afghan women who were just beginning to experience their newfound rights. Their stories encouraged all of us and gave us hope. I returned to Afghanistan two more times, and on each visit I saw progress. On my last trip in 2008, I visited Bamyan Province, the same province where the Taliban had shocked the world by destroying those two towering sixth century Buddhas. And I met with their governor, a woman, Dr. Habiba Sarabi. I visited with a class of women police officers in Bamyan Province, courageous women who were taking the profession that women – of course, they would have never guessed they would have been able to have.
Since then, since returning to Dallas, George and I have hosted Afghan educators and entrepreneurs at the Bush Institute for two conferences on empowering the women and girls of Afghanistan. These women's – now, Afghanistan is home to more than 200 women-owned businesses, and women constitute 35 percent of the work force. These women's enterprises range from traditional handicraft and artisan production, to engineering and construction, to financial services and consulting. While the challenges to their success are considerable, a growing number of women are starting their own businesses, supporting their families, and creating jobs for their neighbors. Studies indicate that women reinvest their earnings in their children's education, in healthcare for their families, and in necessities like food and clothing.
While these signs of progress are encouraging, serious challenges remain. Women's involvement in Afghanistan's peace process has been limited. Recent statements made by the Mullahs would severely limit women's ability to work outside the home. And there are some who still seek to silence women through intimidation and violence. The failure to protect women's rights and to ensure their security could undermine the significant gains Afghan women have achieved. No one wants to see Afghanistan's progress reversed or its people returned to the perilous circumstances that marked the Taliban's rule.
Promoting women's freedoms is crucial to Afghanistan's future. To the extent that women are empowered to fully participate in their country, they'll contribute to the stability and the prosperity of their nation. And that's why the work of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council is so important today and in the years ahead.
I want to thank all of the council members and all of our partners for all you've done over the last 10 years to empower Afghan women and to help them build better lives for themselves and their families, and thereby build a better and prosperous and stable Afghanistan. We want to see that country's hard work and their progress sustained. And we want to ensure that women are empowered so Afghanistan can succeed.
So thanks to each and every one of you here today as we mark 10 years of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council. Congratulations and thanks to everybody who's done so much over the last 10 years, and best wishes for the next 10. I'll be right there with you. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so very much. Now it is my pleasure to introduce my colleague, Afghan Foreign Minister Rassoul, who has been a very strong voice and supporter of the rights of women and the roles that they can and should play in the future of Afghanistan. He traveled here from Kabul to represent the Afghan Government at this celebration.
Foreign Minister. (Applause.)
FOREIGN MINISTER RASSOUL: Honorable Madam Secretary Clinton, Honorable Mrs. Laura Bush, Ambassador Verveer, distinguished member of the U.S.-Afghan Women Council, ladies and gentlemen: Madam Secretary, thank you so much for those gracious words. I am truly delighted to be here once again among good friends, especially from the U.S.-Afghan Women Council. Please allow me to express my gratitude to you, Honorable Madam Secretary and the council, for inviting me to be part of today's event. I would like also to especially acknowledge you, Honorable Mrs. Bush, for your commitment to the cause of Afghan women and their rights. I am honored to be with all of you as we celebrate the council 10th anniversary.
As always, I am grateful for the continued effort made by U.S.-Afghan Women Council in developing and implementing projects in the field of health, education, illiteracy, entrepreneurship, and political leadership with the aim of improving the lives of Afghan women and children. What you do makes a real difference, and I want to convey the heartfelt appreciation and gratitude of the Afghan people and government who have directly benefited from your assistance and support.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to make three quick points in my brief remarks today. First, I want to touch upon some example of the historic – I repeat historic – achievement you have made in Afghanistan in helping Afghan women realize their God-given rights and access opportunities in all walk of lives. As, Madam Secretary, you mentioned, Afghan women make up 28 percent of legislator in Afghan parliament. They occupy one-fourth of the government jobs, including 9 percent of decision-making level ministers, deputy ministers, directors, one governor, a mayor, an ambassador, and other senior diplomats.
Girls make about 40 percent of the nearly 8 million children going to school in Afghanistan today – a figure that was fewer – that was 10 fewer than 1 million in 2,000 girl, no girls at that time. Thirty percent of schoolteachers and 15 percent of university teachers are women.
Afghan women and girls today make 24 percent of doctors and medical workers across the country. Women made up 40 percent of voters in our last presidential elections. We have female pilots, army and police officers, and professional martial artists. Afghan women are at the least 50 percent force behind Afghanistan's vibrant independent media and active civil society groups, both of which are among the most visible and concrete achievements of the past decade. In fact, there are millions of other Afghan girls and women throughout Afghanistan today who are no longer the oppressed, isolated, hopeless existence they were subjected to during the war and even more brutally under the Taliban regime throughout the 1990s.
Women's right today are enriched in to democratically adopted constitution of the country and codified into various laws enacted by the Afghan Government in accordance with our constitution and our international obligations.
I am making this last point to underline President Karzai and the Afghanistan commitment, government commitment to the rights of Afghan women under the Afghan Constitutions and Afghanistan's relevant international obligations.
Where not specified, these numbers and percent that I just referenced by the example were all a big zero in 2001 and there were no legal guarantees for women rights in Afghanistan. So ladies and gentlemen, these gains and the collective change they represent are historic and source of real and genuine pride for all Afghans.
A key question here is what – and more importantly who – made this possible. That's my second brief point. There is no doubt that we have had these achievement chiefly because the Afghan people want it, support them, and because courageous Afghan women have fought for them.
Honorable Madam Secretary, I want to thank you for most recently acknowledging one of the model of exemplary character and steely courage in the person of Maryam Durani, an elected member of the Kandahar Provincial Council.
But these achievement were also made possible – were also made possible – they were helped and facilitated by the principled and generous support of the international community, people such as you. The leaders in this panel, the countless activists working on the ground in Afghanistan, in your governments of the cause of human rights in Afghanistan. So I want to take this opportunity once again as there are Afghan committed to the rights of Afghan women and their full participation in the social, political, and economic life of my country to say to you, thank you very much for standing with Afghanistan and for standing with the women of Afghanistan.
Ladies and gentlemen, the support and commitment from the world community, especially emanating from the Long-Term Strategic Partnership Dialogue between Afghanistan and the United States, has given new hope to the Afghan women. Our country has made significant progress, and Afghan women now realize that they are achieving a deserving place in society – in society, but our shared job in helping the women of Afghanistan realize their rights is not yet done.
This is my third brief point. Afghan women continue to suffer terrible violence, something our First Lady has forcefully spoken against. There are still far too many Afghan girls who never got the chance to go to school. Maternity mortality is still unacceptable – unacceptably high. Afghan women and Afghan children continue to be among the innocent victim on the ongoing war, something we all need to put an end to.
And of course, there are other challenges that both men and women face in today's Afghanistan, chief among them the lack of confidence inspiring security. So our gains are fragile and depend upon a smooth and successful transition up to and well beyond 2014. Let me assure you that we will forge ahead with our struggle for peace, security, development, and justice for our citizen, especially our mother and sisters. So as we move forward in our remarkable commitment to protect and further promote the right of Afghan women now and beyond 2014, we will continue to require and count on your tangible, long-term moral and practical support and assistance. Thank you very much for the kind attention. (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR VERVEER: Thank you very much, Foreign Minister Rassoul. And now we come to a part of the program that we've tried to keep a secret from Mrs. Bush and Secretary Clinton. And that is not easy. (Laughter.) But hopefully they don't know about this. So Mrs. Bush, if I could ask you to join us up here in the middle.
Many of us can still recall your historic radio address in 2001 in which you called on all Americans to ensure that dignity and opportunity will be secured for all the women and children of Afghanistan. And you have led by example. You helped inspire the formation of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, you've worked to mobilize resources to ensure that Afghan women and girls gain skills, opportunities, and particularly the education that they were denied under the years of Taliban repression.
I know a little bit about this firsthand, because back in early 2002 when I was involved with Vital Voices, it was Mrs. Bush who helped support a program that involved providing jobs to Afghan widows to make uniforms for the girls to go back to school. Your commitment took you to Afghanistan several times, occasions in which you launched were the programs and supported America's continuing engagement. And now, as former First Lady, you continue to write op-eds, sponsor programs through the Bush Institute, and support the initiatives of this council. Your commitment has not waned.
And so for your leadership, dedication, and generosity on behalf of the women and girls of Afghanistan, for continuing to be a driving force for the work of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, and for showing us the value of collaboration, the council presents you with this award of appreciation. (Applause.)
MR. DEGIOIA: Well, it's been an honor to be here today as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council and the enduring contribution of two extraordinary leaders, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and honorary advisor of the council Mrs. Laura Bush. We are inspired by the depth of your commitment to the empowerment and success of women and children in Afghanistan and around the world. We're grateful for the actions you have taken, both during your time in the White House as our First Ladies and in your current work to ensure significant progress and ever-expanding impact.
And I also wish to thank our partners at the United States State Department for their continued commitment and collaboration, as well as Abbott Laboratories and Goldman Sachs for their dedicated efforts to enable our work. Georgetown University has been deeply engaged in the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council from the time of its founding, participating in the critical work of partnering with the U.S. and Afghan Governments, the private sector, and NGOs to develop and implement initiatives in support of Afghan women and children.
Since 2008, we've had the privilege of giving the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council a home at Georgetown University's Center for Child and Human Development under the leadership of Dr. Phyllis Magrab. As we mark the 10th year anniversary of the council, we will continue to expand on this decade of dedicated work, deepening our commitment to creating broader opportunities for Afghan women and children. And the council will have a special role to play in the areas of humanitarian support and local capacity building, especially during this period of transition.
At Georgetown, we look forward to drawing on the diverse resources of our community to ensure the continued growth and success of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, especially in these critical areas.
We also had the opportunity in December to host Secretary Clinton as she announced the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security at Georgetown and to discuss our efforts to establish an initiative for Women, Peace, Security, and Development within our School of Foreign Service under the direction of our dean, Carol Lancaster. Now it's a pleasure for me at this moment to now be a part of presenting another award, and that is to invite Phyllis Magrab, our vice chair of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council and director of the Center for Child and Human Development to join me in presenting the Caring for Children Lifetime Achievement Award.
Now, the Caring for Children Award is given by Georgetown University through its Center for Child and Human Development to honor an individual who's made a distinguished contribution to improving the quality of life for vulnerable children and their families. And today it is our pleasure to honor Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton for her deep and enduring commitment to this end.
Secretary Clinton has been making significant contributions through her work for decades, beginning with her important scholarly article in the 1973 edition of the Harvard Education Review on Children and the Law. Since that time, she has been dedicated to creating policies and programs to benefit the most vulnerable children and their families. Her accomplishments have been wide-ranging, but for a special reason I wish to highlight the Arkansas home instruction program for preschool youth that she championed when she was First Lady of Arkansas.
This program sent teachers into the homes of underserved families to train parents in school-preparedness and literacy. And through the program, parents learned the importance of talking to and reading to their children. In highlighting this work and recognizing Secretary Clinton's commitment to the mothers and children of Afghanistan, the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council has just launched the Mothers As First Teachers initiative, originated and led by council member Jill Iscol and supported by a group of generous donors and implemented by the early learning team at Georgetown's Center for Child and Human Development. The initiative will develop materials to support mothers as the first teachers of their children, which will be used in the women's resource centers and the women's gardens of Afghanistan. It's in this context, that with great pleasure, we offer this award to an ever more dedicated friend of women and children across the globe, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Applause.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it is so wonderful and surprising – (laughter) – to thank you all for that very meaningful award, but more than that, for launching this program, Mothers As First Teachers, in Afghanistan. And I thank Jill Iscol and all who have made this possible. It's an absolutely fabulous initiative, and I'll look forward to hearing how the implementation goes.
Let me now introduce someone who's been a great leader for so many years in the world of academia and philanthropy, someone who has really seen over the horizon and understands the long-term challenges that we all face in trying to make change in the world that is sustainable. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Vartan Gregorian. (Applause.)
DR. GREGORIAN: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Mrs. Laura Bush, your Excellency Zalmai Rassoul – foreign minister of Afghanistan, distinguished diplomats, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, members of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen, today is first day of spring, hence first day of new year, Nowruz, New Year's Day in Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan. I wish all of you happy new year. (In Farsi.)
From my childhood days in Iran, I still remember the poetic expression, (in Farsi). May every day of yours be a nowruz, and your nowruz be a glorious one. I am always honored to be in the presence of two great friends, former First Ladies, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, a fellow librarian and educator. (Laughter.)
I am great admirer of theirs. With vigor and passion, tenacity and conviction, they have done so much for so long to advance the cause of education, of women's rights and opportunities. They are invested in hope. They have invested in human potential to expand human opportunities without racial, ethnic, and political borders, boundaries.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues to work tirelessly to advance peace and human rights in general, and women rights in particular, not only here but throughout the world. In their fight on behalf of women, Hillary Clinton has a formidable secret weapon: Ambassador Melanne Verveer. (Laughter.) She is an amazing force, free spirit, free nature, master tactician, manager, and naturally tireless on behalf of women. I'm delighted to be here. (Applause.)
As an historian who is very familiar with Afghanistan, I'm well acquainted with the efforts of the Afghans to modernize their country while maintaining its independence and sovereignty. I'm also aware of the quest of Afghan women to receive education, secure opportunities, become equal citizens, and thus contribute to their country's advancement. Mr. Towdy, a noted expert on Islam, in his comments here on the Qu'ran, has reminded us – he is Tunisian great scholar – that God created a couple, did not create men first, women second. He created a couple at the same time. So there's no way half of the couple can be inferior to the other entire couple. (Laughter.) (Applause.)
I'm also here in my capacity as president of Carnegie Corporation to tell you that we have supported the cause of secure, peaceful, and economically vibrant Afghanistan where the talent of its people and its rich multiethnic society can prosper. Beginning with a grant in 2003 to the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan for support for the Kabul Public Library and the repatriation of Afghan memory in the form of books and archival materials from libraries and universities abroad, we have invested in a wide range of projects in Afghanistan.
From the work of organizations such as the Center for International Cooperation at New York University to help the UN build sustainable peace, to the Institute of State Effectiveness on the ground effort to complement the achievements of National Solidarity Program, to Lichtenstein Institute for Self Determination at Princeton University track two dialogue that have engaged the leaders of experts to Afghanistan and the region, to the work of West Virginia-based Future Generations to link grassroots development with national and international assistance efforts, our grantees have been committed to advancing solutions by, for, and with Afghans and for Afghanistan.
Most recently, we support the International Task Force of Afghanistan organized by Century Foundation and chaired by former Under Secretary of State of Political Affairs, a Carnegie Corporation trustee, Tom Pickering, and former UN Special Representative for Afghanistan and Foreign Minister of Algeria Lakhdar Brahimi to map out with Afghan leaders and others the requirements for a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan that also engages its neighbors.
Building of this legacy, and not to belabor more – Kumalaya, remind me, that time is now of the essence – (laughter) – I'd like to announce today the Carnegie Corporation has decided in honor of our first two ladies but also especially in honor of work that council is doing, to grant $1 million scholarship for Afghan women who study in Afghan universities. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Furthermore, I am delighted to tell you that my colleague and friend, Allan Goodman, head of Institute of International Education – again, founded by Carnegie Corporation 1919 – has decided that they will administer the grant in order not to impose any difficulties in expediting this matter.
So thank you very much for having me here. Delighted. (Applause.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh, Micah, that's great. That is so great.
And finally, it is such a great pleasure to introduce you to a special guest. Zala Ahmad has joined us today from Afghanistan by way of Boston, Massachusetts. She has firsthand experience in many of the issues we've discussed. She is the founder of the Humanitarian Organization for Local Development, a training and resource center that emphasizes education and empowerment for women and girls, located in the Farah Province in Afghanistan. She has worked with UNESCO, the Afghan Ministry of Education, to improve primary and secondary education; for USAID, to improve training for women farmers. Now she is here in the United States on a Fulbright scholarship, studying international economics at Brandeis University.
We are delighted to welcome her here to the State Department. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
MS. AHMAD: Nowruz Mobarak. And as Madam Secretary said, today is the second day of our new year. And I want to begin with wishing you a happy new year and hoping that this year and years to come will bring peace and stability to my country, where all women and men work together to lead our nation towards a bright future. As an Afghan woman who is pursuing high education through a program that's a hallmark of America generosity and diplomacy, the Fulbright Program, I am very honored to speak with you today.
Some may wonder if these efforts and partnership truly make a difference. And I can tell you firsthand, yes, they do. A decade ago, women in my country were deprived of even their basic rights, such as access to education, employment, healthcare. But today, we are active in all spheres of life. Women are in business and politics. Millions of girls are going to school. And some even work in media, such as my fellow Fulbrighter, Shugofa, sitting here, and many others.
As you may think that the impact of Fulbright Program is only limited to rural areas – urban areas, but that's not true. I come from Farah Province, which is a very remote and rural area in the west of Afghanistan. And women and girls in Farah Province four years ago did not have access to English and computer programs, business management, civic education, and social and political advocacy skills. In 2008, with other friends, I founded an NGO called HOLD, Humanitarian Organization for Local Development, which provides these opportunities and resources to more than 400 Afghan women, with the support of State Department.
Let me share one of their many stories with you. A 16-years-old girl from Rigi village named Lena faced family restrictions in receiving education. To help her, we invited her grandfather to our center. He came all the way from the village and saw the women's education classes. He talked with our teachers. And this trip changed his outlook, and he agreed to send his granddaughter to the center. Today, Lena is our most talented and active student in the center. And her family not only supports Lena, but also encourages other girls in the village to learn in the center.
That's why I am pleased to stand here on behalf of the Afghan – young Afghan women and my fellow Fulbrighters to say thank you to Secretary Clinton, Mrs. Laura Bush, Foreign Minister Rassoul, Ambassador Hakimi, Ambassador Verveer, and the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, and everyone in this room for what you all have done and will do to make a difference for the lives of Afghan women in Afghanistan, because we still have a long way to go. I would also like to thank the Carnegie Foundation for their generous gift of scholarships to Afghan women because this gift will help us get there. Thank you. (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR VERVEER: Zala, thank you so much for your words of inspiration. We look forward to watching what you will do when you get back home, a leader I'm sure.
Our program is now concluded. Our journey is not. We hope that we will all continue to work together and know that the council invites your continuing participation. As you leave, you will receive a copy of council member Caroline Firestone's latest book on Afghanistan, Afghans and Americans United. So thank you all very much. (Applause.)


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'We are not against development'
Dev Ram Kanera, a farmer from Khaparkheda village in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, has been raising his voice against the injustice wrought by dams in the Narmada Valley. He talks about three decades of struggle.
How did it all begin?
It was towards the end of the 1970s. The struggle against dams in the Narmada Valley was still in the initial stages. One day I was returning to my village from the market on a bicycle and stopped at a tea stall. I met a group of four or five persons, including a young woman. She asked me the name of my village. I told her. She said my village came under the submergence zone, that my house, fields and granary will all go under water. She asked me if I knew what I would get in lieu of what I would lose. I had no clue about all this. Then she said that we should ask the government. The woman was Medha Patkar, and that was the day I joined the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
What change have you experienced since joining the movement?
Of course, there was change. Only those who remained committed to the movement could get their voices heard, to some extent at least. The compensation rates were raised. The government agreed not to raise the height of the dam. But those who did not do anything and stayed away from the movement faced the greatest injustice. They got almost nothing for the land and houses that they gave up.
What exactly have you been opposing?
We are not against development. We are only opposing the way in which development is being imposed on people. Our houses and fields are being submerged in the name of generating electricity, but the electricity does not reach us. We don't want as much electricity as a five-star hotel demands, we ask for only the minimum that we need. But even that eludes us. In short, the very people who sacrifice the most for development are the ones who are ignored the most in the process. This cannot go on.
Vikas Bahuguna is Chief Copy Editor, Tehelka Hindi.
[email protected]
Related articles
- Medha Patkar, 19 others freed from Chhindwara jail (ndtv.com)
- People's Power Challenges State Power; Refuses to Bow Down to State Terror (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- DNA investigation: Sardar Sarovar Project hit by illegal mining (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- An endless struggle for rehabilitation (gulfnews.com)

subset: commoncrawl


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2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® set for Michigan stadium on January 1st, as the Detroit Red Wings host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
NEW YORK/DETROIT (April 7, 2013) – The 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 1, when the Detroit Red Wings® will play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs® at Michigan Stadium on the University of Michigan campus, the National Hockey League announced today. It is anticipated that the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® could set a world record for attendance at a hockey game. Nicknamed The Big House®, Michigan Stadium is the largest of its kind in North America. The game will be broadcast live on NBC in the U.S. and on CBC and RDS in Canada. SiriusXM Radio will provide live radio coverage.
"The history of the teams' cross-border rivalry, the nobility of The Big House and the growing tradition of the NHL Winter Classic will raise the anticipation for this event to new heights," Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "We are delighted to offer our fans a spectacle at which the energy will be unmatched and the demand for tickets will be unprecedented. For anyone involved in any way -- as a player, a coach, an official, a fan -- this NHL Winter Classic will be a truly memorable hockey moment."In partnership with the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, downtown Detroit is expected to host more than 250,000 visitors at the SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival™, an outdoor celebration of hockey held at Comerica Park beginning in mid-December.
"In addition to representing a dramatic new step in the evolution of the NHL Winter Classic, the Hockeytown Winter Festival reflects the love Mike and Marian Ilitch have for the City of Detroit and its hockey fans," Commissioner Bettman added. "The scheduled activities will bring tens of thousands of fans downtown to connect with the NHL Winter Classic excitement, to enjoy the Festival experience and to share their passion for the sport."
The centerpiece of the Festival will be an outdoor rink placed on the infield of the ballpark that will feature games between teams representing every level of hockey and opportunities for open skating for the public. The showcase events at the Festival promise to be the two games featuring notable alumni of the Red Wings and Maple Leafs – the 2014 Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs Alumni Showdown™ – on New Year's Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 31. In total, the SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival™ is expected to feature youth games, high school hockey games, sled hockey games, AHL games, OHL games, the Great Lakes Invitational and more.
The 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® continues the tradition the NHL® has established of hosting a regular-season game outdoors at the onset of the new year to celebrate the origin and history of hockey. A world record crowd for an ice hockey game could attend the 2014 event, surpassing the 104,173 people attending the game between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University at Michigan Stadium in 2010.
Bridgestone, the Official Tire of the NHL and the NHLPA, returns as title sponsor of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® for the fifth consecutive game. For more information, visit www.bridgestonetire.com.
Two members of the NHL's Original Six™, Detroit and Toronto are longtime rivals. The organizations first played each other on Jan. 4, 1927 when the Toronto St. Patricks defeated the Detroit Cougars 2-1 in a game near Detroit. Under the approved realignment for the 2013-14 NHL season, the Red Wings and Maple Leafs once again will compete in the same division.
Not only is the Detroit-Toronto hockey rivalry a storied one, it is a competitive one. All-time during the regular season, Detroit (275-273-93-3) has captured 646 points against Toronto, holding an advantage by the slimmest of margins over Toronto's 645 (276-275-93-0) against Detroit. Additionally, the 117 playoff games between the franchises is the second most in NHL® history (170, Boston vs. Montreal).
For the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, the Red Wings and Maple Leafs will wear specially-designed uniforms inspired by the early years of each franchise.
The Red Wings will wear iconic red and antique white uniforms featuring a striping pattern and arch Detroit wordmark inspired by the late-1920s Detroit Cougars™. The front crest is an early iteration of the winged wheel from the late 1930s, featuring a novelty felt appliqué with a distinct chain stitch embroidery.
The Maple Leafs will wear a royal blue and white unique uniform design and distinct striping configuration inspired by the Leafs circa the 1930s, a time when the franchise won its first Stanley Cup®. The front crest is a felt appliqué with a very distinct wordmark from the inaugural Maple Leafs logo, revealed in 1927.
The 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® jerseys, along with other event merchandise, will arrive in stores as early as today. Alumni players in the two games at Comerica Park also will sport special uniforms.
Further details on the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, including ticketing information for each team, will be released shortly. Fans interested in purchasing tickets for any of the events associated with the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® and SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival™ should register to receive more information at either www.detroitredwings.com/2014nhlwinterclassic or www.mapleleafs.com/nhlwinterclassic.
Official fan packages for the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® are now available from Global Event Forum, the Official NHL Events Fan Package Partner. For more information please visit nhl.com/fanpackages.
NHL.com will provide extensive digital video coverage and NHL Social will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms, including the use of the hashtag #WinterClassic. NHL Network™ once again will provide hours of coverage live from Hockeytown in the days leading up to and after the game.
Five of the six most watched regular-season NHL games in the U.S. in the past 37 years have been played outdoors. The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® in Pittsburgh on NBC aired in primetime and was the most-watched NHL regular season game in the U.S. with an average of 4.5 million viewers. The event also drew the largest audience on CBC for any of the U.S.-based outdoor NHL games.
For the most recent iteration in Philadelphia, both the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® between the Philadelphia Flyers® and New York Rangers® and the alumni game two days prior attracted sellout crowds. More than 75,000 fans visited Spectator Plaza, the official outdoor hockey festival adjacent to the ballpark.
The first-ever NHL regular-season game contested outdoors was played in 2003 when the Edmonton Oilers® hosted the Montreal Canadiens® at Commonwealth Stadium. The first New Year's Day outdoor game in the U.S. featured the Buffalo Sabres® hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins® at Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2008. In 2009, the Chicago Blackhawks® hosted the Red Wings at Wrigley Field. In 2010, the Boston Bruins® hosted the Flyers at Fenway Park. In 2011, the Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals® at Heinz Field. In 2012, the Flyers hosted the Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. In February 2011, the Calgary Flames® hosted the Canadiens in the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage ™ at McMahon Stadium.
About the NHL The National Hockey League®, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL® consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League's international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (NBC Sports Network, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, MTG, and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, SiriusXM Radio). Through the NHL Foundation, the League's charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.
NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and the word mark NHL Winter Classic are registered trademarks and the NHL Winter Classic logo, Original Six, NHL Network and NHL Heritage Classic are trademarks of the National Hockey League.
NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2013. All Rights Reserved. The Big House is a registered trademark of the University of Michigan.
### 4/7/2013


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Homes for rent & sale near this school
from Movoto
This section shows how much academic progress (also called "growth") students at this school are making given where they were last year, compared to similar students in the state.
This school is far below the state average in key measures of college and career readiness.
(Remember: high graduation rates don't mean much if students are graduating without the coursework and test scores they need to succeed.)


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1.5 oz SKYY Infusions Citrus
0.5 oz agave nectar
4 oz hot water
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 pat unsalted butter (just under a tablespoon)
Grated nutmeg
Combine all ingredients into a large mug, topping the liquid with hot water last. Stir, grate nutmeg over top and let steep for a couple minutes before serving.
Courtesy of SKYY Vodka.


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Noreen Brake-Ruff
Noreen Ruff is the Officer Manager for WRHI and Interstate 107 and has been at the station since 1995. Noreen's ambition provided her the opportunity to explore every aspect of Radio broadcasting. Beginning as the receptionist, she delved into news, programming, board operating, training, promotions, public relations, station tours, accounting and traffic.
Originally from New Jersey, Noreen resides in Rock Hill with her husband, Gregory Ruff, and their four children: De'juan-Gregory, Jaquana, Gregory-De'quan and Shekinah. The transition from the North to the South was quite easy for her. She attributes the beginning to her morals, values and integrity of her mother, a Rock Hill native.
Noreen is also a licensed and ordained Evangelist in the State of South Carolina. She attends Christ Deliverance Church in Rock Hill, S.C. She is the Director of the Rock Hill Concert Choir and a member of the Student Improvement Council for Oakdale Elementary in Rock Hill.
Noreen enjoys reading, public speaking, writing and praise dancing. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.


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REA (Real Estate Alliance Ltd) T/A BidNow collects and uses information from users of its website and subscription services in the following ways. By using this website or service you consent to this collection and use of information unless you choose to opt out of any use, using the email options available below.
When exercising your opt-out please refer to the name of the relevant site or service in the subject field of your email. This will enable us properly to record your opt-out.Any information provided by you in connection with any transaction regarding your credit or debit card numbers, expiry date and billing or delivery address will be used by us to process the transaction. Please note we do not store any card details on our servers.
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text: The Homestead Steel Works' Carrie Furnace was built in 1907. During its peak, the mill produced 1000 to 1250 tons of iron per day. The steel mill ceased production in the early 1980s, and Carrie Furnace and its hot-metal bridge now sit derelict. Guided tours of the historic site are available as a Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
For utility work on commercial, institutional, redevelopment and subdivision projects, City crews typically do not self-perform this type of work. Generally, such work is deemed to be anything more than service connections for a typical single-family house. For all projects, the City reserves the right to assess the scope in terms of difficulty, design and permitting, equipment, personnel and workload, and determine if City resources will be utilized for the work (or some portion thereof). When the customer/developer is responsible for utility work (determined through the Availability Request process), then civil engineering plans, review and approval by Public Works will be required, and a Florida licensed and bonded underground utility contractor must perform the work to City specifications at customer/developer's cost. Refer to the City Construction and Dedication Requirements checklist (PDF) for more information.
Show All Answers
Construction water can be provided through rental of a hydrant meter. Apply for a hydrant meter in person at the Customer Service Department located at 50 Bridge Street. Email Customer Service or call at or 904-825-1037 for more information.
The City will not be responsible for proper sizing of utility services for specific buildings and/or uses. This should be determined by the architect, engineer, plumber or builder. Hydraulic calculations may be required to prove correct sizing of service. The Availability Request form should be used to inquire about relocation of existing services or upgrade of a smaller water service to a larger one.
3 inch taps on City water mains are prohibited. However, 3 inch water meters are allowed. - Customer may install a 4 inch tap, then reduce down to a 3 inch meter. No half-size or odd-size water meters or taps are permitted. All 2 inch and larger water services require an above-ground backflow device regardless of use.
Fire protection water services may not be shared with any other type of service line - domestic, landscape irrigation, etc. Services are required to be separate, dedicated taps from the City water main, in accordance with City Code section 26-34(a).
Minimum size for fire sprinkler service is a 2 inch tap and service line with a 2 1/2 inch backflow device with bypass meter. The City's "point-of-service" will be the valve installed at the right-of-way line before the backflow device. Customer's contractor is responsible for all pipe and fittings to connect and install the 2 1/2 inch backflow. Note, a 2 1/2 inch backflow is the smallest device available with a bypass meter. This eliminates the significant cost and space requirements for a large in-ground meter.
The City may allow double or combined services on a case-by-case basis; however, individual water meters are always required. Refer to City utility details for "Manifold Installations".
All new construction or substantial renovations (cost estimate for renovation amounting to 50% or more of building value) must install a separate water service and a separate sewer service for each residential or commercial unit, when it is feasible to do so.
Water service taps may not be split for different uses. Separate domestic, fire sprinkler and/or landscape irrigation taps are required from the City water main.
The installation and/or utilization of "master meters" is not allowed in the City utility system according to the City's Consumptive Use Permit (CUP) for drinking water from the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). The CUP permit states, The use of master meters to supply potable water to any multi-family or multi-unit structure (excluding hospitals, hotels) constructed after the date of permit issuance is prohibited. All individual service connections must be metered. The intent of this requirement, combined with the City's tiered rate structure, is to encourage water conservation. All residential dwelling units are required to have individual water meters.
The use of master meters to supply potable water to any multi-family or multi-unit structure (excluding hospitals, hotels) constructed after the date of permit issuance is prohibited. All individual service connections must be metered.
City Code Section 26-32 (b) states, Water service lines supplying more than one building from a single water meter are prohibited, except when specifically approved by the city manager. The City will make this decision with the best interest in mind for the Utility and the customers to be served.
Water service lines supplying more than one building from a single water meter are prohibited, except when specifically approved by the city manager.
Regarding fire services, City Code Section 26-34 (a) states, No connections of any kind are allowed to a fire protection service other than those necessary for fire protection. All water used for purposes other than fire protection must be taken from a separate metered tap connected directly to the city main. No person is allowed to use a fire system connection for any purpose other than actually extinguishing a fire.
No connections of any kind are allowed to a fire protection service other than those necessary for fire protection. All water used for purposes other than fire protection must be taken from a separate metered tap connected directly to the city main. No person is allowed to use a fire system connection for any purpose other than actually extinguishing a fire.
To request a fire hydrant flow test, complete Section I of the Fire Flow Test Request form (PDF). Submit the form with a check in the amount of $100 payable to the City of St. Augustine to the Public Works Department:P.O. Box 210St. Augustine, FL 32085
Fire flow tests will typically be scheduled within two weeks from receipt of the request, but may take up to four weeks depending on workload and scheduling.
Generally, the City does not fund or install line extensions or utility upgrades. A permit application and complete set of civil engineering construction plans meeting City requirements is required to be submitted directly to the Public Works Department for review of proposed utilities. New utilities may only be installed in open and improved public rights-of-way or easements as approved by the City.
The developer is responsible for:
The developer is responsible for owning and maintaining all of the remaining utilities on the customer side of the meters and on the subject property. Following acceptance of utilities by the City, the City will own and maintain domestic water lines up to and including:
The City will inspect utility construction by the developer's Florida licensed and bonded underground utility contractor. The developer, consultants and contractors must adhere to the City's current Construction and Dedication Requirements in effect at the time of construction. Utilities that are not constructed to City standards and specifications will not be placed in service.
Visit the Development and Utility Connections page for help with plan submittals and requirements.
City utilities can only be installed in public rights-of-way that are opened and improved, or in City tracts or utility easements. Such tracts or easements are only as approved in advance by the City Manager and City Public Works Department on a case-by-case basis. Refer to the City's Standards Manual (PDF) for specific information. Email Public Works Permits for the City's legal form requirements for easements.
All rights-of-way, tracts and easements shall be improved and maintained to provide continuous access. No City utilities shall be constructed in any unimproved area.
Ample clear space between mains and such improvements shall be provided as determined in advance by City staff. City utilities shall not be located along side or rear lot lines. No City utilities shall be located under any structure or feature, including:


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It has now been confirmed that Aleksandr Zakharchenko has been murdered today. You can read some of the details in this RT article here: https://www.rt.com/news/437357-head-donbass-republic-killed/
This murder really breaks my heart, but also worries and sickens me. Just like the murders of Morotola or Givi, this murder proves that there is a major, massive, problem with the DNR/LNR security services. Whether this is pure incompetence or treason I don't know, but what is sure is that while murders of charismatic leaders happen in all conflicts this is the exception, not the rule (how many leaders were killed during, say, the Bosnian civil war?). It *is* possible to protect commanders and officials (there are special forces and services which can do that very well). When it is the rule, then most certainly something is very wrong.
Two years ago I wrote an article entitled "The Murder of Motorola – questions which must be answered" for which I was hysterically criticized by some ignorant amateurs, but the questions which I asked then remain unanswered today. Frankly, I very much doubt that they will be answered this time around either.
In my 2016 I asked the question cui bono in reference to the murders of so many DNR/LNR leaders.
Now I ask the same cui bono about the systematic denial that there is a major problem with the DNR/LRN security services.
Two years after the murder of Motorola the Novorussians have clearly not solved their security problem. This is why I can only offer the same conclusion as I did two years ago:
Ideally, the Russians should send some smart and ruthless patriot, like General Shamanov, to go to Lugansk and Donesk and read the locals the riot act (Russians generals are very good at that kind of stuff) and if they offer any resistance, just toss them out of their office (Russian generals are also good at that kind of stuff).
By now pretty much all the key Novorussian leaders and heroes have been murdered and it is too late to do anything about this. But somebody will have to take their place and it is them that the Russians need to protect now.
Living in deep denial, cheerleading and flag waving are all very good, but not when people get murdered as a result.
"With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Your servant Aleksandr where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlasting."
The Saker


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In order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with diverse abilities, this site has been designed with accessibility in mind. Click here to view
While the Oklahoma legislature cant pull the plug on the National Security Agency (NSA), Sen. Nathan Dahm believes the state does have the ability to make it more difficult for them to use unconstitutionally gathered information against citizens.
Dahm, R-Tulsa, is the son of missionaries and grew up in Eastern Europe where governments routinely spied on their own citizens and encouraged citizens to spy and inform on one another.
I saw first-hand how people were impacted by domestic spyingit made them fearful about what they said or did or who they talked to, Dahm said. The NSA has been spying on American citizens claiming its necessary to fight terrorism, but the truth is when governments are spying on their own citizens, its not about protecting themits about controlling them.
With the aim of curtailing some of the NSAs overreach into the lives of Oklahomans, Dahm has filed Senate Bill 1252, called the Fourth Amendment Protection Act.
The Fourth Amendment says our citizens cannot be subjected to unreasonable search and seizure. Law enforcement has to have a warrant, supported by probable cause and approved by a judge, Dahm said. My bill makes it clear that our state will refuse material support, participation or assistance to any federal entity that is collecting data on Oklahomans without a legal warrant.
The legislation would prohibit any government entity at the local, county, or state level from providing assistance to the NSA. It would also forbid employees of local, county and state government agencies and jurisdictions, as well as corporations doing business with them, from helping entities such as the NSA. It also prohibits the use of any information passed along from the NSA to local law enforcement if it was obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
The NSA has collected electronic data and metadata on millions of law-abiding citizens for no reasonthey are treating everyone as if they are guilty until proven innocent, and that flies in the face of the rights and freedoms this country was founded on, Dahm said. The Fourth Amendment Protection Act will help guard Oklahomans from these blatant violations of our constitutional rights.


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More stores adding self-checkout lanes.
Self scanning checkouts make it more convenient for people to shop – and steal but more stores are increasingly adding these checkouts.
Walmart and CVS are among the chains adding self-scanning lanes. But at least two grocery chains — Albertson's and New England-based Big Y— have abandoned their self service moves. Both cited customer service as the reason, although Big Y says shoplifting played into the decision.
Theft — intentional or not — is up to five times higher with self checkout than when cashiers are working, says Malay Kundu, founder of Stoplift Checkout Vision Systems, which sells store video analytic software.
Kundu's company has seen people scanning their Starbucks as bananas, leaving their items in the cart or reusable bag instead of scanning them and overloading the bagging area so that un-scanned merchandise can be piled on without being sensed.
Still, most stores aren't ready to give up on self checkout and many will likely add lanes now that easier-to-use systems that also reduce the risk of theft are coming, says Joe LaRocca, National Retail Federation's senior asset protection advisor.
New "tunnel" scanners will allow shoppers to put everything onto a conveyor belt and have prices scanned automatically, even if on unmarked produce, says LaRocca. Newer self checkout systems are also more intuitive and can tell, for example, if items aren't placed on the belt. Besides, loss prevention experts are getting better at spotting this breed of shoplifter.
"There are ways to distinguish between someone who accidentally forgets to pay or intentionally moves the item so it isn't scanned," says LaRocca. "If you see the physical behaviors enough, you know it when you see it."
Self checkouts in North America will increase by up to 10% in the next few years, says research and advisory firm IHL Group. The biggest growth is expected at convenience, hardware and drug stores.
Self checkout lanes can reduce labor costs and improve customer service, especially for quick shopping trips. But they can backfire if shoppers have problems scanning their items, says Kurt Jetta of consumer analytics company TABS.
Big Y removed its self checkout lanes by the end of 2011 because of complaints about scanning problems and theft. But spokeswoman Claire D'Amour-Daley says the chain hasn't noticed a change in shoplifting patterns since it removed the do-it-yourself lanes.
"If they don't find one way to steal, they'll find another way," she says.
Photo credit: KSDK.com
Via USA Today


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Does anyone here have any information about Mifal Hashas or Dirshu?
- What is the learning material?
- When and where are tests?
- How much do they give?
- What kinds of tests are they (multiple choice, fill in the blank)?
Are there any other such programs where they give stipends for learning?


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There were 397,000 first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week, down 9,000 from the week before, the Employment and Training Administration just reported.
Bloomberg News says the dip signals "limited progress in the labor market." Reuters thinks it suggests "a modest improvement in the still-moribund labor market."
There have been a few signs recently that the economy may be on slightly firmer footing — most notably, word that gross domestic product grew at an estimated 2.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter.
We'll get more data Friday when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its figures on the October unemployment rate and, hopefully, job growth. The nation's jobless rate was an estimated 9.1 percent in September.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Watch Josh Groban & Sara Bareilles' Epic Duet Tony Awards The Musical
June 7th, 2018 | By Broadway.com Staff
The Tonys are just a few days away, and we couldn't be more ready. Tony-nommed co-hosts Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles paid a visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on June 6 to get TV audiences pumped about Broadway's biggest night. In reviewing the season, Colbert pointed about the high number of new musicals based on movies. "I don't understand why nobody has come along to make a musical of the Tonys," he continued. Well, Groban and Bareilles did just that with what they call Tony Awards The Musical. Watch the duo sing out below—with a memorable finale sung with Colbert—and be sure to tune in to the 72nd Annual Tony Awards this Sunday on CBS.


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Upward Bound Director Elaine Leavitt Retires
After 25 years, Elaine Leavitt has stepped down as director of SUNY Plattsburgh's Upward Bound, a program that supports and prepares low-income, first generation high school students seeking higher education.
Meanwhile, former Associate Director Brian Post has moved into the directorship role.
During her time as director, Leavitt saw the program grow substantially. Now serving 209 students in 18 high schools within Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties, the Plattsburgh Upward Bound program has become the largest in New York and the fourth largest in the nation.
Post credited Leavitt with providing growth and stability for the program and pushing it to be a little more academically focused.
To accommodate Upward Bound's growth, Leavitt and her colleagues apply for grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education every five years. According to Leavitt, the last competition was challenging, but with help from the Office of Sponsored Research, the Plattsburgh program successfully secured $875,700 last May.
"Working with Elaine was a delight," said Michael Simpson, director of sponsored research and programs. "She had a great passion for the mission of Upward Bound and brought boundless energy to work."
For Post, who has been with the program for four years and helped direct it for the past two, the move into the directorship was gradual.
"She's been a great mentor for the past four years," Post said. "I've been preparing for this. It's a natural transition."
Leavitt is confident in Post's ability to lead the program.
"Knowing that Upward Bound is in the hands of a well-prepared and compassionate director allows me the comfort that the kids and the program are in good hands," Leavitt said. "Brian will take the Upward Bound to a new level of success."


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Jeremy Chow applied to be a stem cell donor a few years ago after watching a 30-second Canadian Blood Services commercial calling for Asian donors. The Victoria man was young and healthy and decided he would help out since, according to the commercial, there wasn't enough Asian stem cell donors.
Jeremy Chow's 10-year-old daughter drew a poster in support of her dad, who just finished chemotherapy.(Facebook/Match4Jeremy) |
The father of two young girls had no way of knowing that soon, he would be in need of new stem cells and the only donor match would be unusable, because it was his own.
Chow started feeling sick in November. Normally he could power through a flu, recalled his wife, Evelyn, but this was different.
"This time he was stuck in bed, he couldn't get up," she said. "And then the chest pain showed up a few days after he was feeling a bit better. It hurt even for him to breathe."
With flu-like symptoms and a band of pain around his chest, Chow went to the emergency room at Victoria General Hospital. At first doctors thought he had a virus that would pass, but when his condition didn't approve, Chow went back to the ER.
After a number of blood tests, the doctor came in his hospital room and pulled up a chair. Chow's heart sank.
He was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia just before Christmas 2018.
Almost immediately, Chow began chemotherapy treatment in Vancouver, and now, months later he is happy to have completed his final round. For now, his hemoglobin and platelet counts will be monitored, but soon Chow's body will begin to heal.
"We will continue on with treatment and just hope and pray that when he's in remission, he stays in remission," Evelyn said.
RELATED: Hannah Day swab drive attracts huge crowd
RELATED: Technology key to reaching new donors: Canadian Blood Services
But there's one piece of the treatment puzzle that Chow can't access as easily as Caucasian patients can: stem cells.
According to Canadian Blood Services, these life-sustaining immature blood cells are found in bone marrow, peripheral circulating blood and umbilical cord blood. They can become red or white blood cells or platelets and do incredible work for people like Chow, replacing their unhealthy cells and reducing the likelihood that the cancer will return.
Over 80 diseases and disorders can be treated with a stem cell transplant.
— Canadian Blood Services (@CanadasLifeline) March 11, 2019
Tag a friend or family member who is between 17-35 years old, if you think they should join the registry and possibly save a life! #CanadasLifeline #StemCellsForLife https://t.co/jttPizsZAW pic.twitter.com/qTswYUFQvj
Stem cell donations can be made through bone marrow stem cell donation or through peripheral blood stem cells which are drawn through a needle in a non-surgical procedure.
But stem cells can only be donated to recipients with similar genetic makeup to the donor. Matches are determined according to DNA markers – antigens found on white blood cells and inherited from both parents.
For Chow, who is half British and half Canton Chinese, there are no available donors in the national or worldwide registry.
"I was disheartened when I heard that there was no match for Jeremy, and then talking more with Canadian Blood Services and [learning] the fraction of how many mixed-race donors there are in the registry – three per cent is not great," Evelyn said.
Chow might not get a stem cell transplant, but he and Evelyn are working, alongside Canadian Blood Services, to push for awareness around the need for donors, especially donors of bi-racial or Asian descent.
Chow said: "If all of this goes well [and] I stay in remission, and the awareness is out there and other people sign up to be donors and other people are getting the help they need, then that's a win."
The couple is organizing stem cell drives in Vancouver and hope to host a drive in Victoria soon. To learn more about donating, visit blood.ca/en.
RELATED: B.C. businessmen open stem cell therapy clinic in Washington State
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Bed Bug Public Policy & Laws
With respect to public policy, bed bugs have been a pest that has been "out of sight, out of mind" for many years. In fact, the U.S. Government ceased publishing its "How to Control Bed Bugs" publication in 1984. However, over the past several years as bed bug populations have increased, effective control of these challenging pests has been a societal wide problem - one that has caught the attention of regulatory and legislative officials at the federal, state and local levels.
By way of example, legislative bodies in Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania have considered bed bug legislation over the last two years. Illinois, Maine and New York all adopted bed bug laws in 2010. Municipalities across the country are looking at the issue. Examples of such proactive local jurisdictions include Jersey City, San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Yonkers, NY and Ocean City, MD. And of course, numerous agencies of the Federal Government are working on bed bug control. Federal legislation has recently been introduced on bed bugs.
The National Pest Management Association has been working with government officials as part of a national strategy on bed bug eradication. Samples of the association's position papers on key issues regarding bed bug policy and bed bug laws can be found here:
Position Statements
- White Paper on Bed Bug Related Policy Issues
- Formation of State/Municipal Bed Bug Task Force/Working Group/Advisory Committee
- Government Funded Bed Bug Research
- Registering New/Existing/Legacy Pesticides for the Professional Market for the Control of Bed Bugs
- Assigning of Specific Responsibilities to Landlords, Tenants & Pest Management Professionals in the Management & Prevention of Bed Bug Infestations in Multi-Family Housing
- Including Bed Bugs in the Legal Definition of "Vermin" or "Pest"


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February 27, 2014
Craig Webb to present lecture on how plant pathogen diagnostics support domestic programs regulated by the USDA
Submitted by Stephanie Alvord-Albanese
Craig Webb, adjunct faculty in plant pathology, will present "The Role of the Domestic Identifier-Plant Pathologist Laboratory: How Plant Pathogen Diagnostics Support Domestic Programs Regulated by the USDA" at 3:45 p.m. Feb. 27, in 4031 Throckmorton Hall.
The lecture's abstract:
The mission of USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service is to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources from the ubiquitous threat of pests and diseases. Within APHIS, the Plant Protection and Quarantine unit oversees plant health issues internationally, at U.S. ports-of-entry, and domestically. A cadre of five USDA-APHIS-PPQ scientists, 'Domestic Identifiers', perform insect identification and plant disease diagnostics on detections from domestic survey activities across the country. One of the two PPQ Domestic Identifier-Plant Pathology Laboratories has been housed in the Department of Plant Pathology at Kansas State University since 2004. The activities of this Laboratory, and the variety of interesting diseases it receives, will be highlighted throughout the seminar. Information on careers in USDA-APHIS will also be provided.